The Past, The Present and The Future
by Mama Pocky
Summary: Platonic rendezvous between Jan Di and Ji Hoo during Jun Pyo's engagement become less friendly and more romantic as both begin to grow closer. Convinced she's moved on from her last heartbreak, Jan Di is ready to bulldoze into the future. But when Jun Pyo shows himself in her life once more, she is forced to decide whether to build her future without him or to pursue her past.


**Chapter One:**

Life seemed to always be riddled with pain and hurt - With absolute agony that never seemed to go away. It didn't seem that there was any break for anyone to catch, lately. All the world ever seemed to be good at doing was dealing horrible hands to him. He didn't often complain, though. No. In fact, quite the opposite. He made sure that he didn't get emotional. He made sure that he didn't get greedy. Because it seemed as though whenever he chased after something he wanted, whenever he set his eyes on something and began to pursue it, that's when everything seemed to go wrong. Why was it that way? He didn't know. All he knew was that when he didn't want something, that something pursued him. And when he yearned to have something for himself, it was then that it distanced itself from him. It didn't make any sense. But then again, when did anything in the world make sense?

Ji-Hoo heaved a heavy sigh, letting the bitter winds of winter beat up against his face. He had forgotten to bring a scarf to wrap around his neck, but he didn't think too much of it. Around his body he had a tightly-wrapped jacket, and it kept him warm enough. Leaning against his rather nice, extremely expensive, white motorcycle that he had purchased quite some time ago, he brought his right wrist up so that he could check the time on his digital watch. Nine-Twenty. It had been twenty minutes, already. Jan Di's shift at the gas-station should have ended ten minutes ago.

Why did he even bother to come in the first place? Why did he even bother to chauffer her around from place to place, as though he were some kind of hired help? She didn't ask for it, and often she tried to avoid it - As to not be a burden on him. But he was reminded that he loved her, and even if those feelings could not be returned that fire that blazed in his chest for her would not be tamed. He tried to stay away when he could, he really did. But his eyes craved to see her, and his hands begged him to touch her. The moments that they spent together brought him great joy. She was like his own personal torturer, and she didn't intend it just as much as she wasn't aware of how he felt towards her.

You know, when he had cut his hair he was trying to symbolize the beginning of a new life - The beginning of a life in which he moved away from Geum Jan Di. However, such was not so. No matter if he cut his hair or not, those feelings that he harbored simply couldn't go away because he cut his hair, or because he said that he would move on - Because he said that his best friend loved her, so he wasn't allowed to love her. That's not how the world ever wanted to work.

It just wasn't fair.

"Ah, who knew that pumping gas can hurt your hands?" Questioned the woman, who Ji-Hoo could easily pinpoint as the one and only Geum Jan Di, to herself, rubbing her hands tiredly as she starred down at calloused hands. They weren't only calloused from pumping gas for people, though. Days of cleaning and hard labor helped aid in the callousing over of her hands. Once soft hands were now rough and riddled with bumpy callouses and blisters. When working hard to keep the family afloat, one could not enjoy the luxury of having soft hands. And even though she was rubbing her aching hands, she still seemed to wear a smile of pride on her face - One that stretched across her features. Often he wondered for what reason she smiled for, being that the entire world seemed to be going against her. The man she loved was engaged to get married, and her mother had a severe accident and was incapable of working. Not to mention that her father had slipped back into the habit of gambling on everything he could, in hopes of hitting a jackpot that was never to come. Perhaps that's the reason as to why he adored her so much. She didn't easily cry. She wasn't always easily swayed by sadness. She could still find a way to smile like she did.

But her smiles also hurt him. Because he knew those smiles weren't always true ones. Those were the kind of smiles that he often had to give himself to push him through the days, and to keep the days from dragging on into one long streak of gray. She deserved to be able to cry when she needed to cry. She had been through so much.

"The hard worker decided to work overtime, again?" Questioned Ji-Hoo, pushing himself off of the solid object that he had been leaning against and offered her quite a nice smile, white teeth flashing towards her as they always did, "You are quite the busy bee, lately"

Geum Jan Di looked up towards him, blinking in surprise as she noticed that he had been standing there. Geum Jan Di had been too engrossed in her hands, and her thoughts, to have noticed that he was standing outside of the gas station, waiting for you.

"H-" The H dragged along slightly, giving it an almost airy sound, "How long have you been waiting out here?" The girl questioned, looking up at him with eyes that were wearing great shock. And to think that she would be used to this man coming to her aide, and consistently helping her. Perhaps sometimes she couldn't believe that somebody would be persistently at her side like this. Perhaps she believed she didn't deserve it. But who was to say what she thought? She often kept most of her thoughts to herself, rarely verbalizing them unless she was pushed past the brink of upmost anger. It was then, he noticed, and only then, would she speak what was on her mind.

"Not too long" Spoke the man before he glanced down at her hands, that of which she quickly clutched together the moment that she realized he had cast his gaze against her hands. It was as though she didn't want him to see something - But it didn't matter, because he had already caught that glimpse of red that had dripped from her fingers. Setting his helmet against his motor-vehicle, he took a few steps towards her, not at all surprised when she had taken one or two back in self-defense that had seemed to be embedded in her brain since birth. Two hands reached out to grab her hands, gingerly, bringing the girl forward and letting his thumbs try and press under her own. When she had realized that he was trying to open her hands, she had clenched them together tightly - Only to wince in pain at the self-induced pressure. Quietly, and gently, he unfolded her fingers and studied the flat palms of her hands - That of which were dripping with blood from busted blisters and callouses. A frown seemed to press against his lips. "You have been working too hard. Your hands are bleeding"

Self-consciously, Geum Jan Di had attempted to pull her hands away - Though was met with the expected reaction of him tightening his grip on her hands, making sure that they stayed in place like he needed them to be.

"It's just a little blood" Argued the woman, a bit slowly as she had to take the time to think of a suitable excuse, "It's not as though it's a fatal wound, and I've been through much worse things than having my hands bleed. They'll get better. I can work through anything" Ensured the girl, lifting her head to look up at the man that was gripping his hands - A face that wasn't convinced by her attempts to reassure him in the slightest.

"I have some bandages, if you would please sit down on the sidewalk in front of the gas-station, I can get them" Smiled the man.

"Oh, Ji-Hoo sunbae, it's alright - I can fix it myself -" Protested Geum Jan Di.

"How can I be your firefighter if you won't let me help you when you're needed?" Spoke Ji-Hoo, still gripping her hands. Geum Jan Di seemed to falter a bit, opening her mouth and closing it a couple times before finally closing it in defeat. A small laugh escaped the throat of Ji-Hoo. "Thank you, Miss, for letting me do my job. It would be a shame if the firefighter couldn't do the job he was assigned to do, wouldn't it?"

Geum Jan Di nodded almost looked guilty, as though she were doing something wrong by allowing him to aide her like this. He could tell by that look that sparked in her eyes that she felt as though she were doing Gu Jun Pyo wrong. Couldn't she see that he broke her heart? He supposed that it was hard to get over someone who breaks your heart. He knew that personally. But he had moved on, himself. Then again, he had moved on to someone who was hung up on someone else. Who was hurting over someone else. And he was this comfortable pillow to give her some sort of solace. He was only the pillar of strength. The soulmate, but not the husband. Not that he ever really minded. After all, that's what friends did, right? And he wouldn't truly love her if he wasn't there to comfort her - If he just shoved her to the side.

There was a still silence as Geum Jan Di sat herself onto the side of the sidewalk, leaning her elbows on her knees as she looked up at Ji-Hoo, who was digging through his bag for bandages to wrap her hands in. It seemed that she knew that he had caught on to her already - That she worked this much not only to help sustain her family, and to help pay for her mother's medical bills, but to forget about Gu Jun Pyo as well.

What an unhealthy way to deal with her pain, he thought.

But truly, he thought again, who was he to talk?

"I have bandages" Exclaimed the man, pulling the gauze from his tan, leather, bag as he moved over to the girl sitting on the sidewalk, kneeling in front of her on both knees. He always seemed to have this princely air of going about things. "If you would let me see your right hand?" He questioned, holding out his free hand so that she may place it in his hand. Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his own, and watched as he began dripped some cleaning alcohol that he had pulled from his bag onto the wound, so that he could clean it. When the alcohol dripped at her wound, it caused a great sting - And she flinched heavily, pulling her hand violently away for a moment - Causing him to jump in surprise, slightly startled.

"I'm sorry" She said, bowing her head slightly, "I didn't mean to startle you"

He breathed slightly, marking a slight laugh - That of which noted that it was indeed quite alright, and that he understood. Instead of replying to her apology, Ji-Hoo took a small flat rag, dragging it across her hand so that he could rub in the cleaning alcohol, making sure to clean off her hands. She cringed again, though tried to sit tight. And he repeated the same process with her other, untreated, hand.

"You are a very strong patient" Smiled Ji-Hoo, "Sit tight, and I am about to wrap your hands" Smiled the man, grabbing the gauze and wrapping it around her hands tightly, to make sure that the bandages weren't going anywhere. "There, we are done!" Exclaimed the man. "I am quite proud of you!" He grinned.

She offered him a weak smile, her eyes flicking up at him and then flicking her gaze away from him, as though she might be hiding something.

"Well, it seems like you and I have a long-overdue meetup that we must have" Spoke Ji-Hoo, clasping his hands together. "We will spend time together tomorrow, since you won't be working" Smiled Ji-Hoo.

"Ji-Hoo sunbae!" Spoke Geum Jan Di, quite loudly – Her eyes widening slightly at his proposition. "I-I have work tomorrow! And-" She spoke frantically, bringing her bandaged hands up to protest him – But being greeted with the palm of his right hand giving her a halting signal.

He knew that this work - All of it - Was to forget about Jun Pyo.

"Geum Jan Di" He spoke her full name, so that she would know that he was speaking seriously towards her, "Your hands are hurt. You must be mentally tired, as well – You have been working non-stop for the past month" Spoke Ji-Hoo, giving her a very serious look. He meant business, quite frankly. "I know that you are working hard to help your family and your mother, but if you are working your hands so hard that they bleed, then you need to rest. And if you think that this is going to solve your problems, then you are wrong. Working yourself like this will only dig you an early grave" He paused for a moment, debating on whether or not it would be appropriate to say the next line, but then decided it was for the best. "And working yourself to death will not help you forget about the sadness that comes with heartache. So let me replace hard work with something fun, to keep your mind off of everything" He offered her a smile, though quite unsure of how she would react to his daring statement.

Geum Jan Di had opened her mouth to protest after the initial shock of what she said, that of which she had responded to with silence, but then shut it in realization that he was right. Working this hard, it would only momentarily make her forget about him, but the memories and the pain would come back. And then her chest would constrict, and she would have to sit to herself down and take a breather – To keep herself from breaking down into absolute tears.

"Ji-Hoo-"Spoke Geum Jan Di, looking up at the man who was now putting up his bandages, and she looked at him with some kind of shining admiration in her eyes - Holding this respect towards someone who has always been there to be her white knight in shining armor, when there was nobody else, "Thank you for bandaging up my hands" Spoke the woman, looking up towards him as wind blew her hair sideways, and she used her unbandaged fingers to push hair from her face and tucked the strands behind her ear. Clearly she was avoiding the subject, so he allowed her to do so. Her eyes were watering slightly, and Ji-Hoo assumed that it was because she was reminded of the time that Gu Jun Pyo had saved her from her attackers at school. He rubbed the back of his head slightly, quite awkwardly - Letting for the memory to pass.

"Well," Spoke Ji-Hoo, leaning down towards the woman and gripping her elbows, pulling her to her feet {notably slightly amused by her sound of great surprise}, "It is very late, and you must be very tired. If you would allow me, your firefighter, I would love to escort you back to your home, and let your parents know you have survived great distress"

Geum Jan Di beamed at him, momentarily rid of the sting that came with the engagement between Gu Jun Pyo and his future wife.

"Of course"

 **Chapter One, End**

 **A/N: So here is where I insert disclaimers. I don't own the series, nor any of the character. Nor do I own the manga "Boys Over/Before" Flowers that the Korean Drama was based on.**

 **Please credit their respective owners.**


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